Nidoqueen d Card Review - Red5bv06, Krucifier, and smacktack15 of Team Lv.X have reviewed [Nidoqueen d from EX Dragon Frontiers] for their third card review. To comment on their card review and Nidoqueen, post in this forum thread.
IGN Pokemon TFG Interview - IGN has conducted an interview with Pokemon USA in regards to the Trading Figure Game. The interview discusses the TFG's mechanics, why Pokemon decided to create the TFG, and other interesting aspects.
The name of the next set was also revealed - Groundbreakers, which will be released in December. For those of you wondering whether or not organized play will be established for the TFG, the interview states that Pokemon USA is considering it (and they probably will wait to see how well the TFG sells this holiday season to determine this). PUSA is already working on the third TFG set, so we can definitely say that it will continue to sell - organized play and tournaments are another story, though.
Leafeon and Glaceon Translations - Bangiras has translated the Leafeon and Glaceon promos that players will be able to receive at the Japanese "Winter Challenge" tournaments. The name for the Palkia trainer card posted in the previous update is "Mysterious Pearl," but the image is too small for translation.
Leafeon Lv.40 - Grass - HP90
Stage 1 - Evolves from Eevee
[G][C] Spiral Drain: 40 damage. Remove 1 damage counter from Leafeon.
[G][C][C] Leaf Blade: 50 damage. Flip a coin, if heads this attack does an additional 20 damage.
Weakness: Fire (+20)
Resistance: Water (-20)
Retreat: 1Glaceon Lv.46 - Water - HP90
Stage 1 - Evolves from Eevee
[W][C] Ice Shot: 30 damage. This attack also does 10 damage to 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokemon.
[W][C][C] Icy Wind: 60 damage. Flip a coin, if heads the Defending Pokemon is now Asleep.
Weakness: Steel (+20)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1
The lack of updates this week can be attributed to (a) no news and (b) me working on the new website content and layout. Sometime during the next week or so, we will be posting an article on the declining state of Pokemon Organized Play (POP), so look forward to that. ;) In other news, did anyone see the new D/P commercial about the GTS?
Next D/P Set Name - The fourth American Diamond and Pearl set will be named Great Encounters, as mistakingly revealed on the official POP site today in the 2007-2008 States FAQ. Since this will most likely be our [Moon Hunting / Night Dashing] set, the name sort of fits... you are encountering Cresselia for the first time, the mascot of the set, as well as Dialga, Palkia, and Darkrai (in terms of being Lv.Xs).
New Card Review - A Pokemon that lives in the ozone layer and goes psycho when Deoxys passes through its domain, [Rayquaza ex d from EX Dragon Frontiers] is Team Stunky's third card review. Dendrobatida, Teddiursa, Muffins, and Woody give their thoughts on Rayquaza and what deck this tech can fit in. If you would like to comment on their card review or on Rayquaza ex d, you can post in this forum thread.
Latios y Latias in SSBB, Better Entei Pics - Thanks to SkittyoW, we have now confirmed that Latios y Latias are available as Poke Ball item Pokemon in Super Smash Brothers Brawl. When released, they fly across the screen in zig-zag patterns, striking characters and dealing quite a bit of damage. Unfortunately, we do not have screenshots of them right now, but we will try to get them soon. SkittyoW has also given us better quality screenshots of Entei, which you can view below by clicking the thumbnails.
Oh Mr. Resetti...
As of today, Pokemon known to be available in Poke Balls are Goldeen, Chikorita, Deoxys, Groudon, Munchlax, Piplup, Kyogre, Torchic, Snorlax, Gardevoir, Meowth, Entei, Latios, and Latias.
Winter Challenge Promos - A larger image of the "Winter Challenge" Leafeon promo has been released, as well as a brand new Glaceon! Both promos will be given to people who attend the "Winter Challenge" tournaments in Japan between now and January, and hopefully, we will have translations of both cards tomorrow. As usual, click the thumbnail below for a larger image.
Japan will soon be getting the alternate-art Torterra Lv.X, Infernape Lv.X, and Empoleon Lv.X cards that we received in those tins a month or so ago (we are not sure how, but the official Japanese site mentions them - they might somehow be available at the Winter Challenges, or in product released soon). Time-Space Distortion will be released for a second time as a tournament promo, and this time, it will be at the Winter Challenges (again, we are not sure how a player will be able to obtain them - it seems as if you will need to earn a certain amount of points at the tournament to receive one, but this has not been confirmed). A Palkia medal trainer card is also pictured on the official Japanese site as a Winter Challenge promo, and it appears that it will be given to tournament winners or people who perform extremely well (the details on how to get it are sketchy at this point - this seems to be the case with ALL of the cards mentioned above... grrrr!). Both promos are pictured below (click for a larger image).
New Japanese Holos - If you go to a Pokemon Center in Japan and trade a card with an employee, you will receive a holo reprint of one of eight cards (which were previously not holo cards). The cards became available a few days ago in Pokemon Centers, and will only be available during this month. Click the thumbnail below for a larger image.
My midterms are over, and I nailed all of them! I will now go back to my regular posting schedule / mode. This is a large update because of stories I have not posted over the past week or so.
Kingdra ex d Card Review - Team Holon, lead by Bangiras and consisting of EspeonShock and Bonsly1994, have reviewed [Kingdra ex d] for their third card review. To comment on both Kingdra and their card review, you can post in this forum thread.
Secret Wonders Set List - The [Secret Wonders set list] is now up, featuring all of the scans from the set. I have also added it to the left menu for future access.
Entei and Rayquaza in SSBB - Another Super Smash Bros. Brawl demo video has revealed that Entei is a Poke Ball item Pokemon. When it is released, it takes one large stomp and unleashes a tornado of fire (Fire Spin?), which severely damages anyone nearby. You can view low-quality screenshots of Entei below by clicking the thumbnails.
Rayquaza was also revealed on the Super Smash Bros. site yesterday. It appears to be a boss for the single-player mode based on the storyline presented, although very limited information is known at this point. In the video, which you can view here, Rayquaza comes out of a lake (not the ozone layer), attacks Diddy Kong (even though it is not evil), fires what appears to be some Ice Beams (even though Hyper Beams would do more damage), and is then defeated by FoxMcCloud, who uses a deflector to redirect an Ice Beam back at Rayquaza (since it's super effective, I guess that would explain why they wanted Rayquaza to use the Ice Beams). It could also be a victim of the Subspace Army, since it just randomly attacks everyone, blows up the first ship it sees, and is in the lake rather than the sky (suggesting it fell or is hiding in the lake because its territory, the ozone layer, is near space, where the army's domain is, who uses spaceships maybe)... who knows. The animation of Rayquaza is beautiful, and ironically, it is better than anything Nintendo has produced for any actual Pokemon game, such as Battle Revolution. Pokemon is just not treated nicely when it comes to the console games...
Two Organized Play Press Releases - We have received two press releases concerning tournaments in general and the upcoming City Championships. You can read both below.
POKEMON KICKS OFF THE 2007-2008 ORGANIZED PLAY SEASON
Title Events, TCG Leagues, and Championship Tournaments Provide Opportunity for Hundreds of Pokemon Fans to Compete for the World Title
BELLEVUE, Wash.-October 31, 2007-Pokemon USA, Inc., a worldwide leader in the trading card game industry, today announced the beginning of the 2007-2008 Pokemon Organized Play (POP) Season. The Pokemon Championship series events begin in November 2007 with City Championships, followed by State/Province/Territory Championships, Regional Championships, and National Championships, all leading up to the 2008 Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) World Championships in August.
POP programs, events, tournaments, and leagues allow thousands of players across America and all around the world to compete in a fun environment while strengthening their Pokemon TCG strategies, math skills, and reading ability. POP leagues, events, and programs are held in more than 25 countries, giving players the opportunity to build social skills by fostering friendships with international peers and those in their own hometown leagues. By participating in select POP events, players can earn Pokemon trading cards and merchandise, as well as scholarships ranging from $500 to $7,500. Prizes vary from country to country.
To receive an invite to the Pokemon TCG World Championships event, players can compete and win in their National Championships, become a top player via their premier rating, or qualify through the Last-Chance Qualifier tournament.
Along with competitive tournaments, the ongoing Pokemon TCG league season spotlights the Sinnoh Region, featured in the Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl Nintendo DS games. Pokemon TCG leagues are a great way for players of all ages to get together in a casual setting and perfect their playing skills while earning prizes. Players earn Pokemon Organized Play exclusive promo cards, badges, and foil Energy cards.
2007-2008 Pokemon Events Schedule
Prereleases: Prereleases are held quarterly with more than 400 total events planned for the 2007-2008 POP season. Players get a sneak peek of the latest expansion before it is released.
City Championships: November 2007-January 2008 - City Championships will take place in hundreds of cities across North America beginning November 23rd.
State/Territory/Province Championships: March 2008 - State Championships will be held in many states, provinces, and territories. Winners in some markets receive a Travel Allowance to their National Championships.
Regional Championships: April 12, 2008 - These events divide up the U.S. and Canada into large regions. Winners will receive scholarships worth up to $2,000 and a Travel Award to the 2008 National Championships.
Battle Road Tournaments: Autumn (September-October 2008), Spring (May-June 2008) - Battle Road tournaments give players another opportunity to work on their premier ratings, potentially earning an invite and trip to Worlds.
National Championships: North America: June 2008, International: April-June 2008 - The National Championships is the first Worlds qualifier event. Winners receive scholarships worth up to $5,000 and an invite and Travel Award to the 2008 World Championships.
World Championships: August 2008 - The Pokemon TCG World Championships is the premier Organized Play event of the year. The event will host top players from around the world competing for the title of Pokemon TCG World Champion and for scholarships worth up to $7,500.
For more information about Pokemon Organized Play or to locate an event near you, please visit www.go-pokemon.com.
POKEMON ANNOUNCES 2007-2008 CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Free Events in Cities across the Country Kick-Off Premier Season for Pokemon Trading Card Game Players of All Ages
BELLEVUE, Wash.-November 5, 2007-Pokemon USA, Inc., a worldwide leader in trading card games, today announced Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) City Championships for players of all ages. City Championships provide players the opportunity to succeed at an intellectual sport and test a player-s Pokemon TCG skill, strategy, and creativity on the path to becoming a Championship-level player.
Competitors are divided into three divisions: Junior Division (Born 1997 or later), Senior Division (Born in 1993, 1994, 1995, or 1996), and Masters Division (Born in 1992 or earlier). The winner in each category will earn the title of City Champion. City Championships players also have the opportunity to earn Pokemon prizes including booster card packs and exclusive merchandise.
The Pokemon Championship series events begin in November 2007 with City Championships, followed by State/Province/Territory Championships, Regional Championships, and National Championships, all leading up to the 2008 Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) World Championships in August 2008.
WHO: Pokemon Trading Card Game players and the general public
WHAT: Pokemon TCG City Championship; FREE admission, open to the public
WHEN: November 23, 2007-January 6, 2008
WHERE: Cities across the U.S.
WHY: For the chance to compete against other Pokemon players for prizes!
For more information, please visit www.go-pokemon.com.
Quick update at two in the morning! I am half asleep, so if this update is not as clear as usual, you'll know why. :)
New Japanese Entry Pack - A new Japanese entry pack (a type of "theme deck" or "trainer kit" sold to assist new players in learning the TCG) will be released on November 30th in Japan for around $18.00. It will feature the three Sinnoh final starters, as pictured below, in addition to other new Pokemon cards (also pictured). A brand new Supporter card - "Mama's Concern" - will be included in the entry pack, functioning like Bill (you draw two cards). Unfortunately, most of the card images below are too small to translate, so we do know what these new cards do yet.
Japanese Winter Challenges - A new type of Japanese tournament, the "Winter Challenge," will begin on November 25th in Japan and end on January 20th; it will be held at eight different locations throughout Japan during the time period. According to the official Japanese TCG website, it is going to be one large tournament featuring several smaller tournaments and events (almost like our old Super Trainer Showdowns?), where players will be able to battle against each other and "Gym Leaders," while having the opportunity to participate in many different types of side events. Every player who attends will receive a pamphlet explaining what is going on at the specific tournament they are attending, which will include a new Leafeon promo (pictured below, and again, too small to translate). We will post more information on these new tournaments once it becomes available!
Hope everyone had a happy and safe Halloween! We had a couple of people dressed as Pikachu come to our door, so I gave them extra candy. :D
Sorry for not updating lately - college is starting to take its toll. I have yet again more midterms - a midterm on Friday and another on Monday, so I am locked into studying right now. My Friday midterm is for Humanities, and studying for it is such a pain, since there is just so much to go over. In terms of just regular homework, when I signed up for Oceanography, I didn't realize I would be reliving the horrors of high school Algebra 2 in the process. It seems like we are learning about everything except the ocean, and instead, everything that has to do with math and conversions. I can't do math for beans, so I have been spending a ton of time trying to understand it (and it ain't turnin' out too well). Anyways, my last midterm is on Monday (Oceanography), so after Monday, I can at least guarantee one update. :)
On Friday, I took a break and went to Knott's Scary Farm (an amusement park that has one of the largest Halloween celebrations in the U.S.). It was supposed to be a fun and relaxing time, until I went on the Ghost Rider roller coaster. My DS with my Pokemon Pearl fell out of my pocket and flew off the ride. -_- The maintenance people went to check for it the next day, but did not find it, so I assume it was either pulverized by the high fall or someone made a very lucky discovery and decided not to turn it in (ironic, since when I got into the rollercoaster car, someone left their fancy-smansy bracelet on the floor and I turned it in). I had just finished training my team for the PokeBeach Wi-Fi League tournament the day before, too (which took almost 1.5 months to do, in addition to the couple hundred hours I had on the game anyways!). :/ I have been having a very fun past week or so - both busy and frustrating. :D Thank goodness the DP3 and DP4 news is out of the way - there is now some breathing time.
A preview for Monday: Entei is in SSBB as a Poke Ball item, I will have the Secret Wonders set list up, and both a card review and DS Pokemon review will be posted.
EDIT #5 on early Sunday morning: PokeDaddy (and Kristen M.) has sent us a scan of Raikou, meaning we now have all the Secret Wonders scans! It is below in the usual place. Tonight, if I have time, I will post the set list and other news.
EDIT #4 on late, late Saturday night: Thanks to GL Mo, we now have all missing Secret Wonders scans except Raikou. You can view them in the group of thumbnails below that are above the thumbnails posted on Thursday.
EDIT #3 on late Saturday night: According to various e-mails from people who attended and judged pre-releases today, there is no Garchomp Lv.X in the set (or any secret rare, for that matter). The next set will either be stuffed full of Lv.X cards, or some could be made into POP promos. We'll just have to see... I also added a Gardevoir Lv.X scan below, thanks to Mike C.
EDIT #2 on early Saturday night: Thanks to both Canis L. and Brandon S., we have five new scans. They are above the rest of the scans below. We are now only missing holos - Entei, Flygon, Gastrodon (East Sea), Ho-Oh, Mew, and Raikou. If you have them, please see the edit below this edit.
EDIT #1 on Saturday morning: The Weavile sleeves and Kirlia pre-release promo have been added to this update after Honckrow Lv.X. Remember, if you go to a pre-release today and get any of the 12 cards we are missing scans of, please scan them at 300 DPI (or just large if you don't know how to set that) and send them to wpmpb@pokebeach.com. Thank you!
WARNING: If you do not wish to be spoiled about Secret Wonders, even though we have had translations and Japanese scans of the cards from both DP3 and DP4 for months, please do not read the following update.
ALL Secret Wonders Scans - As usual, we have early English scans of the newest set - Secret Wonders! To repeat what was said yesterday, the sleeves you receive at the pre-releases feature Weavile, and the pre-release promo is Kirlia. As predicted, this set has cards from both Japan's DP3 and DP4 (primarily DP3, though), meaning several DP3 cards were substituted for DP4 cards.
Only two Level X cards are officially in the set - Gardevoir Lv.X (#131/132) and Honchkrow Lv.X (#132/132). A third Level X like Garchomp could possibly be a secret rare (#133/132), especially since it was expected to be in this set, but we'll just have to wait and see... POP may make Garchomp into a POP promo instead. The name of the set isSecret Wonders after all, so there could be some secret rares!
If you go to a pre-release this weekend and get any cards we are missing (currently, we do not have 12 cards), be sure to send us scans (scan them at 300 DPI, or larger than the ones below if you don't know how to set the DPI). You can e-mail your scans to wpmpb@pokebeach.com, and if we use your scans, you will be credited here!
Click the thumbnails below to view larger images, and hover over the right or left of an image once it is opened, hitting "Previous" or "Next" to scroll through the scans like a slideshow.
To discuss this set, you can post in this forum thread.
[Images No Longer Available]
EDIT: The translations have been updated by Bangiras to include DP4's theme deck spoilers. A few minor errors have also been fixed, including one major error on Mewtwo. Your browser might store the old translations in its cache, so you may have to clear your cache to view the latest version.
I am working on the Secret Wonders scans now, and should have them up later tonight (I still, again, have classes and club meetings today until 8:30 [and one midterm, too], plus a sore throat and headache from the stupid fire ashes, so I am still busy / occupado). Check back here later tonight for the scans - I am slooowly editing them whenever I get a chance (I even took my laptop to breakfast and lunch!).
Complete DP4 Spoilers - Since Bangiras has completed the [DP4: Moon Hunting / Night Dashing] spoilers and they have been double-checked for any errors (unlike yesterday, where they were just "previews" and possibly not accurate), you can now [view them here] in their complete and official form. Note that they are in .doc format, so you will need Microsoft Word to open them. The trainers and energy are pretty good this time around (Helix and Dome Fossils let you evolve into Omanyte or Kabuto, the Stadium cards heal and give free retreat, Premiere Ball lets you recover Lv.Xs from the discard pile or deck, etc...)! To discuss these spoilers, you can post in this forum thread, and to view complete scans of this set (courtesy of Toho), you can check out our [DP4 scans page].
EDIT #3: All of the spoilers that Bangiras has translated are now posted (which is over half the set). Please do not copy and paste them on to any other website or forum [citing the source does not overwrite this ;)].
All DP4 Scans, New Translations, More Coming - Thanks to Toho, we have [ALL of the Japanese DP4: Moon Hunting / Night Dashing scans] (sorted by type and alphabetically). We also have a few new translations right now, with more new translations coming later today (courtesy of Bangiras). However, the translations are ONLY readable by PokeBeach.com forum members in order to keep the discussion of the material that we post to PokeBeach's forums. You can check this news post's forum thread for the current spoilers and for new spoilers as they become available. I will edit this news story to tell when we have any new translations in the forum thread. So far, Gardevoir Lv.X is AWESOME (it is slightly broken and cheap), and Wailord wins the art contest for this set (in my opinion).
Secret Wonders Scans Later or Tomorrow - I have also received a huge chunk of Secret Wonders scans, but obviously, I do not have much time today to edit them (I still have midterm studying / meetings / class today). The pre-release card for the set is Kirlia, and the sleeves feature Weavile. More info and scans will be here either later tonight or tomorrow, so be sure to check back! I do not have time to edit them tonight.
We'll have early [Secret Wonders] scans next week, as long as my midterm studying doesn't take over my nights. The official Japanese TCG site is also going to release small images (not scans) of all of the cards in [Moon Hunting / Night Dashing] sometime soon, and when that happens, we'll post them here. Most likely, we will have actual scans before then, though. English DP3 + Japanese DP4 + midterms + Humanities essay + random Oceanography homework + general craziness isn't going to equate to such a pretty week (that was the case this week, which is why I did not update as often), so we'll see how things go...
Ambipom Review - PokeBeach will now be reviewing and posting detailed articles on Pokemon within the Diamond and Pearl games, which, in my honest opinion, rival the quality of Pokemon reviews posted elsewhere on the internet. Team Eclipse, a small and elite group of PokeBeach Pokemon-gurus, [reviews Ambipom] for their first Pokemon review. To comment on Ambipom as a Pokemon and Team Eclipse's review, you can post in this forum thread.
Bronzong Card Review - Team Holon, currently consisting of Bangiras (the team leader) and EspeonShock, has reviewed [Bronzong from Mysterious Treasures] for their second card review. To discuss both Bronzong and their card review, you can post in this forum thread. It seems as if the card reviews turned out to be a huge hit this time around (since this is the second or third incarnation of the PokeBeach Strategist program) - each card review is getting more and more reads, and the quality of each review the three teams are producing is excellent (and if you don't think so or disagree with something a team says in a review, you know where to post comments).
Beckett "Cards for Kids" Donations - According to Beckett's latest magazine issue, they will be accepting Pokemon card donations from Pokemon fans to give to children in hospitals as charity. All you have to do is send in extra Pokemon cards that you do not want (and maybe even one or two nice cards, such as holos or reverse holos), and Beckett will put them in goodie bags and distribute them to hospitals across the country. All donations need to be in their hands by November 27th, so if you want to donate any cards, do not forget this date! You can view the magazine scan below for more information, including the address to send the cards to. Thanks goes to TRQLKZ for the news and the scan.
Magmortar PBR Code - The code to download Magmortar from Pokemon Battle Revolution is B416-X4HT-VTWF. Instructions on how to download it are below. If you did not know, you can also download an Electivire from PBR (see our September 25th news story).
1. Load your Pokemon Battle Revolution account, and customize your Battle Pass' "Self-Introduction." To do this, go to "Menu -> Profile -> Profile -> Self-Introduction."
2. Enter the code: B416-X4HT-VTWF (enter the code with subtraction signs / dashes, which are located in the "characters" section with the math symbols).
3. Exit out of the customization, and go to the Shop. You will see the "Heated Gift" as an item at the bottom of the list. Buy it (it's free).
4. The Wii will now send out Magmortar's signal (after telling you to turn on your DS).
5. Accept the Mystery Gift on the main menu, go to the Mart, talk to the man in green, and receive your Magmortar. You'll need a free slot in your party.
5. You will only have three minutes to download Magmortar.
Magmortar (Level 50)
Trainer ID: 06257
OT: PKTOPIA
Modest Nature
From the Lovely Place and apparently met in a fateful encounter.
~Psychic
~Flamethrower
~Hyper Beam
~Solar Beam
Holding a Charcoal, inside a normal Poke Ball, always female.
EDIT: Edited the Super Smash Bros. Brawl Gardevoir article to include a new Poke Ball item Pokemon.
New card review tomorrow, and maybe a different type of review, too!
DP4 Page Update - More [DP4: Moon Hunting / Night Dashing] news today! The two Electivire and Magmortar 30-card theme deck lists are now posted in the [theme decks] section on our DP4 page. The missing Trainer cards from yesterday's set list are also now included in the [main set list] section. In terms of card translations, Bangiras has translated two Trainer cards in the set: Amulet Coin and Leftovers, and you can view their complete translations and images under our [translations] section. Like yesterday, please do not copy and paste these translations on to any other site - you can use the link above to reference them instead. Thank you. :)
Gardevoir and Meowth in SSBB - This may be old news to some, but a Super Smash Bros. Brawl video posted on IGN revealed that Gardevoir is a Poke Ball item Pokemon. When Gardevoir is released from its Poke Ball, it walks around with a barrier around it, and it appears that the person who releases it is protected from other characters temporarily as long as they stay in the barrier (it is hard to tell what the barrier does in the video, so this may not be an accurate description). You can view a screenshot of Gardevoir below.
Meowth has been revealed as a Poke Ball item Pokemon on the official Super Smash Bros. website today. It shoots Japanese yen / coins at its opponents using its Pay Day attack, which actually deals some decent damage. Meowth was in the original Super Smash Brothers, but did not return in Melee, so now we get him again in Poke Balls! Click the pictures below for larger images.
So far, Pokemon known to be available in Poke Balls are Goldeen, Chikorita, Deoxys, Groudon, Munchlax, Piplup, Kyogre, Torchic, Snorlax, Gardevoir, and Meowth.
